T-Mobile launching Starlink DTC service in US
June 25, 2025
By Chris Forrester
T-Mobile will launch its new T-Satellite direct-to-cellular (DTC) service for US subscribers with SpaceX’s Starlink on July 23rd. It will follow this launch with support for data for third-party apps including WhatsApp and X in October.
T-Mobile says the range of the satellite coverage will cover some 500,000 square miles of the country and include remote areas without a regular cellular service, and will work for other network operators. T-Mobile talks of services such as AccuWeather, Google and Apple-based services plus hiking guide App AllTrails.
The service will be available for Android users at launch, but iPhones will soon follow. The service will initially be satellite-based texting, but Android users can also send images, audio and MMS messages from July 23rd.
Users on T-Mobile’s ‘Experience Beyond’ tier can access the service free of further charge. Other tiers can access the system for a $10 monthly fee.
There are already complaints from some beta users saying that the service can be unreliable and that battery usage is high. The free trial has been active since January and T-Mobile says 1.8 million people signed up for the service. Dozens of customers sent 911-based SMS texts during the beta period, said T-Mobile.
“This day has been decades in the making,” said T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert.
As of March 2025, T-Mobile reported a total 130.9 million customer connections, including 1.3 million postpaid net additions and 495,000 postpaid phone additions in the first quarter, more than any other U.S. carrier.
Other posts by :